Claudette C. Faison – CEO

Claudette C’Faison is a pioneer in designing, facilitating and administrating innovative programs that provide emotional, mental health, and education support services in high risk communities. She began in 1977, managing the runaway homeless youth program for the NYC Department of Youth

Services, then moved on to focus on the development of youth and their communities including the parent, educators, and youth service providers.

In 1985 Claudette became the National Director of the Breakthrough Foundation’s Mentoring Program based in San Francisco – where she trained over 3,000 volunteers and youth throughout the United States. In 1989, she co-founded Youth At-Risk, Inc. which in 2014 became Unlocking Futures, Inc. She continues to expand on her innovative training ideas and program designs to reach at-risk populations. She has designed mentoring and volunteer programs for Boston, Newark, Chicago, Washington, DC, Los Angeles, Oakland, Philadelphia, Toronto, London, and Guttenberg, Sweden.

Claudette is an institution builder and shares responsibility for the success of the Unlocking Futures organizations in New York and Phoenix Arizona, the Puerto Rico Jovenes de Riesgo, and Bright Futures in San Jose, California. In 1997 she successfully established an international consortium, Global Partners for Youth, and instituted the Leadership Training Academy, in which she serves as senior faculty member.

From 1998-2002, as a consultant to the Agency for Children’s Services (ACS) through the Hunter College School of Social Work, Claudette participated in training the top sixty-eight administrators on Commissioner Scoppeta’s staff. In addition, she taught management and supervision to the middle management of ACS.

Through the years Claudette has promoted spiritual and transformational learning and curriculum, resulting in numerous mentions and quotes in such national publications and venues as Cosmopolitan Magazine, interviews on WABC – AM, WNBC -TV’s Visiones, WABC -TV’s Roz Abrams, WCBS-FM, WCBS-TV’s Maury Alter and WQCD –FM’s Dialogue.

She has been the recipient of numerous awards. To name a few: in 1999 she was recognized by NYC Schools Chancellor Rudolph F. Crew with the Caring Community Award. That same year she received the Anne Frank Award for Citizenship. In 2002 her work was acknowledged by the Alpha Kappa Sorority Award for work in the Harlem Community and in 2007 by Ebony Magazine’s Sister Speak Excellence Award. She is the recipient of the Fredrica L. Teer Institution Builder Award from the National Black Institute of Action Arts and the Lifesaver Award from the ELEM – Youth in Distress Israel organization.

Claudette is a graduate of Oneonta College, with a BS in Psychology. Her education includes studies abroad and extensive travel on five continents to many countries. She has certifications from the Non-Profit Executive Management Program of Columbia University, Ontological Design Course and Specialized Modalities Program for working with youth and families. She is fluent in French and Spanish, grew up in the Bronx and was born in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands.